EM1 Rifle

An experimental electromagnetic rifle used for incapacitating electronic devices from a distance. Ineffective against live targets. Powered by accumulator batteries.

In-game description

The EM1 Rifle is a precursor to the Gauss rifle only featured in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

Background[]

Main article: Gauss rifle#Background''

The EM1 Rifle was initially a prototype weapon known as Item 62, developed as part of secret experiments within the Zone. The project was eventually scrapped in 2004 after the researchers failed to find a compact energy source for the weapon. Some time later, prototypes of the weapon were seized by members of the faction Clear Sky (likely because some of its members were part of The Group) who turned the weapon in a powerful rifle capable of unleashing powerful electromagnetic bursts through fragments of the Flash artifact.

The weapon was later seized by the Monolith faction, and then evolved into a highly-lethal weapon known as the Gauss rifle. Some time after that, it was returned to Scar.

Characteristics[]

Clear Sky[]

Compared to a standard Gauss rifle, the EM1 Rifle features a much higher magazine capacity (100 round instead of 10) and has a lower fire rate (20 RPM instead of 30), making delays between shots much longer and very noticeable. As well, the damage per shot is significantly lower, a mere 14 per shot, though the weapon's role was mainly to damage electrical devices. Despite the weapon being described as non-lethal, it can actually kill foes with headshots.

Heart of Chornobyl[]

The EM1 Rifle is far more lethal in Heart of Chornobyl than in Clear Sky. It is able to kill all human enemies (excluding the player) in a single shot, regardless of shot placement. It no longer features a scope, and its ammo capacity has been reduced to 99 rounds.

Acquisition[]

Clear Sky[]

Only one EM1 Rifle appears in-game: it is given to the player by Lebedev when they arrive at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in order to stop Strelok. The weapon must be used against him in order to deactivate Strelok's psi-protection.

Heart of Chornobyl[]

"Get out of here stalker!"
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In the Skif and Strelok endings , the EM1 Rifle is wielded by Scar during his final confrontation with Skif at the Generators. After Scar is killed, the player can pick up the EM1 and use it for the rest of the game.

Trivia[]

The game files still contain a powerful EM1 Rifle identical in stats to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat Gauss Rifle rendition. It is simply referred to as wpn_gauss within the game's code, much like the Gauss Rifle itself in each of its appearances. The said weapon is never used in-game, but could be spawned with the help of modding.